STATE GEOLOGIST. ~ 157 
As a rule these wells were long lived, and several are still producing. 
According to Mr. C. G. Dutton, of Elba, one is found on the Walter farm; 
another on the Coal lands, and a third on the A. Morris tract. 
Development of the 500-Foot Sand.—Drilling for the Berea 
led to another result of great importance viz., the discovery over 
considerable areas of valuable deposits of oil in the 5o00-foot sand. 
According to Mr. Minshall the first producing well in this sand was 
drilled on the Atkinson farm, just below Macksburg, in 1865,1 but 
others give earlier dates. Thus Mr. Orton Dunn, of Dexter City, states 
that a well drilled on the Keith farm in 1861 struck the sand in question at 
a depth of 448 feet, and that the well produced 100 barrels of oil the first 
day. Mr. Dunn also states that the well continued producing until 1899, 
when it was abandoned. Mr. Frank Ayers, of Macksburg, informed the 
writer that in 1863 a well was begun on the land of the Lowell Oil Com- 
pany near Macksburg, and reached the 500-foot sand the following year. 
It is claimed that this well has produced continuously from that time, ex- 
cept during short intervals when it was closed for repairs. At present it 
yields about one and one-half barrels per day. Mr. Minshall’s familiarity 
with the field, however, gives his statement much weight. All agree, how- 
ever, that active work in the sand did not begin until 1865, and even then 
on a comparatively small scale. In 1866, 1878, 1888 and 1890, wells were 
drilled to the 500-foot sand on the Keith (now J. S. Dunn) farm. All 
made some oil, and it is difficult to understand why drilling on this tract 
did not become active until 1890. In the latter year there were 16 produc- 
ing wells on this farm, consisting of 72 acres. The northern part of the 
Macksburg field, in so far as it relates to the 500-foot sand, is confined 
to sections 11 and 12 of Jackson township, and 5, 6, 8 and 32 of Jefferson 
township, Noble county. During the past ten years work in this sand has 
been active, and it appears from the dry holes that the limits of this part of 
the field have been pretty definitely determined. In one only of these sec- 
tions, viz., 6 of Jefferson township, are wells found in both the 500-foot 
sand and the Berea. ; 
South from Macksburg active work in the 500-foot sand began about 
1885, and is still in operation (1902). The territory includes sections 24, 
25 and 36 of Jackson township, Noble county, 7, 17, 18, 19, 29 and 30 of 
Aurelius township, Washington county, and a strip one-half mile wide 
and one and one-quarter miles in length along the line of junction of 
Adams and Salem townships, Washington county. Many of the wells in 
the southern part of the field have been abandoned. Thus, on the J. Gessel 
farm of 103 acres, one mile west from Macksburg, 14 wells have been 
drilled, 11 of which were producers, but 7 of these have now (1900) been 
abandoned. The combined production of the four is ten barrels per day. 
1Geol. Sur. of Ohio, Vol. VI, p. 450. 
